Code-signaling telephone.



PATENTED MAY 16; 1905.

C. -T. MASON.

CODE SIGNALING TELEPHONE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

-No. 789,748. PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

G. T. MASON.

.CODE SIGNALING TELEPHONE.

APPLICATION IILED FEB. 11.1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Minn-um NiTEn STATES Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES T. MASON, OF SUMTER. SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SUMTER TELEPHONE MANUFACTURING COMPANY. OF SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, A CORPORATION OF. SOUTH CAROLINA.

CODE-SIGNALING TELEPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,748, dated May 16, 1905.

Application filed February 11, 1905. Serial No. 245,226.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. MAsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sumter, county of Sumter, South Carolina, have 5 invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Code-Signaling Telephones; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to L which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to code-signaling call apparatus for telephone party-lines,- and it consists in the various details of construction and combination of parts set forth in the following description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in elevation the rear side of the door of a telephone wall set having the improved code -signaling apparatus applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, also showing the master-wheel for operating the magneto-generator and the signal-wheel shaft. Fig. 3 is a horizontal plan view of the central portion of the same, showing the shunting jack and plug. Fig. 4 is afragmentary vertical section showing the star-wheel and the means for advancing the same into operative engagement with its driving means. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the wall set. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the spacer-disk. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the circuit connections of the generator and the code-signaling apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the usual boX or casing of a telephone wall set, within which is mounted the magneto-generator a, provided with the regular bridging 4 shunt. Mounted on the inside of the door of the boX or casing is a frame 6, comprising two side brackets or supports connected by two conductors or bus-bars f and g, the former of which is insulated from the rest of the frame. Secured to the barf is a series of conduetor-springs m, each of which has a lateral bend intermediate its ends, so as to bring the lower end of each of said springs opposite the lower bar g, with which each of the spring ends are adapted to be brought into engagement to complete the generator-circuit, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the door of the boX A and opposite the contact-springs m is a series of sockets 72., each socket adapted to receive a plug 1', the inner end of which engages the bend in corresponding spring m and forces the lower end of said spring into engagement with bar g, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Mounted in bearings in the side supports of frame (2 is a transverse shaft h, having secured therein a series of signal wheels or disks 2', each of which cooperates with a corresponding contact-spring mthat is to say, each wheel has a series of teeth on its periphery corresponding to the breaks or intervals between the signal impulses to be transmitted, which teeth engage the eontact-spring and force the same out of engagement with the bar 9 as said wheel is rotated. The signalwheel shaft is driven from the same mechanism that operates the magnetogenerator, and to effect this operation there is mounted upon the end of the signal-wheel shaft a starwheel j, which when the door of the boX A is closed is brought into position to be engaged by a pin 6 on the master-wheel I) of the generator driving-gear, so that each revolution of the master-Wheel l) to operate the generator causes pin 1) to advance the star-wheel one tooth. In order to insure that the signal shall be properly begun and finished, one tooth of the star-wheel is omitted, as at j, so that after the star-wheel has been rotated to send the desired signal it is automatically disconnected from the drivingwheel b by the interposition of the mutilated portion 7' in the path of pin 1), so that further operation of the generator will not operate the signal-wheel shaft. In order to reset the apparatusfor a subsequent operation, there is provided a springretracted push-button Z, which when pressed inward by the operator engages a lateral pin it on the face of star-wheel and rotates the latter sufficiently to bring the first tooth thereof into position to be engaged by the pin b on themaster-wheel b. In order to limit the successive movements of the star-wheel and the shaft h to the distance between two teeth on said star-wheel and to prevent the latter overthrowing when the master-wheel is driven rapidly, a spacer-wheel t is mounted on the shaft h, said wheel having one more tooth than the star-wheel, said wheel tbeing engaged by a spring-pawl a, which drops in between the teeth and imposes a certain amount of drag or resistance to the rotation of the shaft h.

The operation of the apparatus as thus far described is as follows: Each of said signal- Wheels L is of course provided with an arrangement of teeth and spaces around its periphery to constitute a definite intelligible signal, and each wheel is adapted to transmit a distinctive signal. Any subscriber on a party-line desiring to call any other subscriber on said line inserts plug 1" in the socket n, indicated upon a suitable directory-card as corresponding to the subscriber to be called, (as, for example, if he wishes to call John Smith and socket -No. 3 is indicated as Smiths number he inserts the plug in socket N0. 3,) pushes button Z, and turns the enerator-crank. The master-wheel I) revo ves the star-wheel shaft 71, and signal-Wheels i step by step, and the circuit through the spring m corresponding to socket No. 3 is al ternately made and broken by the corresponding signal-wheel vi to send to linea series of impulses from the generator,which will produce on all of the subscribers bells a succession of rings corresponding to Smiths call. When a complete call has been sent, the mutilated portion y" of star-wheel 1' comes in the path of pin 6 on the master-wheel and stops the further rotation of the signal-wheel shaft. The magneto-circuit is also broken at this time by the engagement of the spring m with the final tooth on the signal-wheel, whereby said spring is moved out of contact with bar 9'. Should the subscriber desire to repeat the call, it is only necessary to push the button Z, which advances the star-wheel sufficiently to bring the first tooth thereof into position to be engaged by the pin on wheel I), and the further operation of the generator will repeat the signal. By inserting the plug in any of the other holes it will be apparent that an appropriate set of impulses will be sent to line to call the corresponding subscriber.

In order to cut out the code-signaling apparatus, so that the telephone may be employed as an ordinary bridging instrument, a shunt 0c is provided between bars and g, which shunt is normally broken by a springjack 1) and is completed to short-circuit the signaling-wheels and springs by inserting plug 7' in socket 0 in front of the spring-jack, so that the end of said plug engages the spring-terminals of said jack, as shown in Fig. 3. Bywithdrawing the plugfrom socket 0 the shunt will be broken and the code-signaling apparatus will be included in the linecircuit when the plug is inserted in one of the sockets n.

The signal-disks "i and the star-wheel j are preferably made of insulating material, which in addition to insulating the springs m also serves to materially reduce the abrading action of the engaging parts and also reduces the noise of operation.

It is to be noted that the code-signaling apparatus affords a simple and efiicient attachment to the ordinary telephone set without affecting the normal operation of the apparatus, and it constitutes a valuable adjunct to party-line service to enable subscribers to automatically ring uniform and intelligible code-signals to call any other subscriber.

What I claim is 1. A code-signaling telephone-call com-- prising a magneto-generator, a signal-wheel shaft, and mechanism connecting the signalshaft with the generator driving-shaft, said mechanism comprising means for disconnecting said shafts when the signal-wheel shaft has been rotated to transmit a signal.

2. A code-signaling telephone-call comprising a magneto-generator, a signal-wheel shaft, and mechanism connecting the signalshaft with the generator driving-shaft, said mechanism comprisin a star-wheel on the signalwheel shaft and a pin on the genera tor driving-gear cooperating with said starwheel.

3. A code signaling telephone call comprising a magneto-generator, a signal-wheel shaft, and mechanism connecting the signalshaft with the generator driving-shaft, said mechanism comprising a mutilated starwheel on the signal-wheel shaft and a pin on the generator driving-gear cooperating with the star-wheel, to drive the latter until it reaches the mutilated portion thereof.

4. A code-signaling telephone-call comprising a magneto-generator, a signal-wheel shaft, mechanism connecting the signalshaft with the generator driving-shaft, said mechanism comprising a mutilated starwheel on the signal-wheel shaft and a pin on the generator driving-gear cooperating with the star-wheel, to drive the latter until it reaches the mutilated portion thereof, and means for restoring operative relation of said star-wheel with said pin.

.5. A c0de-signaling telephone-call comprising a magneto-generator, a si nal-wheel shaft, mechanism connecting t e signalshaft with the generator driving-shaft, said mechanism comprising a mutilated starwheel on the si nal-wheel shaft and a pin on the generator d riving-gear cooperating with the star-wheel to drive the latter until it reaches the mutilated portion thereof, and a push-rod for advancing said star-wheel and ITO restoring the operative relation of the latter with said pin.

6. A code-signaling telephone-call comprisin a magneto-generator, a circuit connected therewith, a shaft having signalwheels thereon, a series of contact-springs cooperating with said signal-wheels, a bar in said circuit upon which said springs are mounted, a second bar in said circuit from which said springs are normally separated, a plug engaging sockets adjacent to the respective springs to force one of the latter into engagement with said bar, and means serving to connect the generator driving-shaft and the signal-wheel shaft to rotate the latter to send a predetermined signal and then to disconnect said shafts.

7. A code-signaling telephone-call, comprising a magneto-generator, a circuit connected therewith, a series of contact-springs adapted to close said circuit, a shaft having signal-wheels thereon cooperating with said contact-springs, a plug adapted to be inserted in any one of aseries of sockets adjacent to said springs to close the circuit through the corre sponding spring, and means serving to connect the generator driving-shaft and the sig nal-wheel shaft to rotate the latter to send a predetermined signal and then to disconnect said shafts.

8. A code-signaling telephone-call, comprising a magneto-generator, an inelosing boX or casing therefor, a frame carrying a series of spring-contacts each adapted to close the generator-circuit, a shaft carrying a series of signal-wheels cooperating with said springs, the casing having a series of plugsockets adjacent to said springs, a plug adapted to be inserted in any of said sockets and move the corresponding spring to close the generator-circuit, and means serving to connect the generator driving-shaft and the signal-wheel shaft to rotate the latter to send a predetermined signal and then to disconnect said shafts. v

9. A code-signaling telephone-call, comprising a magneto-generator, a series of signalwheels and plug actuated contact springs cooperating therewith to control the generatorcircuit in sending predetermined signals,

an open shunt around said signal-wheels and springs, and means for closing said shunt to exclude the wheels and springs from the generator-circuit.

10. A code-signaling telephone-call, comprising a magneto-generator, a series of signalwheels and plug-actuated contactsprings cooperating therewith to control the generator circuit in sending predetermined signals, an open shunt around said signal-wheels and springs, and a plug for closing said shunt to exclude the wheels and springs from the generator-circuit.

11. A code-signaling telephone-call, comprising a magneto-generator, a circuit connected therewith, a series of contact-springs adapted to close said circuit, a shaft having signal-wheels thereon cooperating with said contact-springs, means cooperating with said contact springs to close the circuit, and means serving to connect the generator driving-shaft and the signal-wheel shaft to rotate the latter to send a predetermined signal and then to disconnect said shafts.

12. A code-signaling telephone-call, com prising a magneto-generator, a series of signalwheels, plug-actuated contact-springs cooperating therewith to control the generatorcircuit in sending predetermined signals, and means serving to connect the generator driving-shaft and the signal-wheels to rotate the latter to send a signal and then to disconnect the shaft and signal-wheels.

13. A code-signaling telephone-call, comprising a magneto-generator, a series of signalwheels, a series of contact-springs cooperat ing therewith to control the generator-circuit in sending predetermined signals, means cooperating with said contact springs to close the circuit, and means serving to connect the generator driving-shaft and the signal-wheels to rotate the latter to send a sig nal and then to disconnect the shaft and sig nal-wheels.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES T. MASON Witnesses:

MURR HALL, F. O. MANNING. 

